20 N. H. Agri. Experiment Station [Bulletin 284 



As in previous years, it was found that Mcintosh in common storage 

 softened rapidly and was at its prime for flavor about one month after har- 

 vest. Subsequently it rapidly lost its aroma and flavor. When stored at 

 32°F., softening proceeded more slowly and best flavor was observed be- 

 tween December and March. Stored at 30° F., the Mcintosh apples remained 

 high in pressure test and high in acidity, green in ground color, but did not 

 develop prime flavor until February. They remained at their best only for 

 a brief period and even then were not so good as the fruit stored at the other 

 temperatures. Uniformly, throughout the 5-year period of these storage ex- 

 periments, it has been demonstrated that a temperature of 30° F. not only 

 affects the rate of ripening, but also reduces materially the quantity and 

 quality of aromatic substances finally produced. During this season, there 

 was no significant difference between the lots at 30° F. and 32° F. in occur- 

 rence of the brown core disease or of internal breakdown. Fruits stored at 

 the lower temperature have generally been more susceptible to brown core. 



Owing to experience in previous years similar to that recorded here, an 

 effort was made this season to determine whether a good flavor developed 

 early in the common storage might be preserved by transferring the fruit 

 to 30°F., and also if, transferring relatively green fruits from the 30°F. 

 room to a higher temperature at early or mid-season date might bring about 

 a desirable flavor during the late winter months. The results, on the whole, 

 were disappointing. Transferring fruit that has reached its prime in com- 

 mon storage to the colder temperature did not seem to prolong appreciably 

 the period at which it is at its best. When transferred from 30° F. to com- 

 mon storage, the apples were of better flavor and appearance during Febru- 

 ary, March and April, but all of these lots developed extensive brown core 

 trouble. 



As in the case of the Baldwin, fruit from different orchards was found 

 to be markedly different in storage quality. That from the Thompson 

 Orchard, about one mile distant from the orchard at the Horticultural Farm, 

 at a lower elevation, and also under sod culture rather than cultivation, was 

 more firm, had a higher acid content and a more yellow ground color. The 

 magnitude of these dift'erences was about equal to those in fruit from the 

 same source by storing in common as opposed to cold storage. 



Nearly all storage tests with Mcintosh at this institution have been con- 

 ducted with fruit wrapped in oil ]mper. This year a series was carried at 

 32 F. without such wrappers. This variety typically is not subject to scald, 

 and during the present season the unwrapped apples did not dift'er materi- 

 ally from those wrapped. (E. J. Rasmussen — Piirncll Fund.) 



Variety Tests of Fruit 



Thirty trees of the Starking variety, a dark red sport of Delicious, eight 

 years okl this season, produced an average crop of one bushel each. The 

 fruit is exceptionally well-colored and, although rather dark, it is not too 

 dark to prove attractive to the buyer. Because this variety colors early it 

 can be harvested from ten days to two weeks earlier than the old red Deli- 

 cious variety, thus escaping considerable trouble from water core and drop. 

 Even when harvested early, nearly 95% of the fruit grades fancy, whereas 

 half of the standard variety has to be classified as second grade because of 

 lack of color. 



